Get ready for a soulful performance by Kalyan Project in Hyderabad

From Sufi to Bollywood, rock to electronic, band Kalyan Project spreads itself across boundaries and genres through their music. Their tribute to The Local Train is a testament to their multilingual approach towards music. Talking about their show, the vocalist of the group, Kalyan Das says, “We have immense admiration for The Local Train and their remarkable achievements at such a young age. Their work has inspired not just us but countless fans across the city.”

Although the lead singer is no longer performing with the band, Kalyan says that they wanted to pay tribute to the band’s legacy by breathing new life into some of their iconic compositions. “We will perform some of their famous numbers including Yeh Zindagi Hai, Manzil, Bandey, Gustaak, Dil Mere, Aaoge Tum Kabhi, Dilnawaaz, Choo Lo and many more,” Kalyan informs us.

Kalyan Project’s journey can be defined by corporate buddies turned into full-time musicians. “Since Kalyan is the frontman of the band, he gives us a framework of the song, then the musicians jump onto the track and build the final composition block by block,” says bassist John Bodapati.

When asked about his approach to selecting songs, Kalyan explains that it is an amalgamation of various influences. “I consume a lot of Bollywood music — artistes like KK, AR Rahman, and Sonu Nigam are among my favourites. But I also dive into different genres, including metal bands like Lamb of God,” he shares.

Sonically, as the first band to play electronic music in a live setup, Kalyan Project hopes to head in the direction where they can make this rare combination their identity. As India is trying to build an independent music scene, with commercial artistes gravitating towards indie music, the band wishes to retain the truth of the art form. Touching upon the dynamics they share amongst each other as band members, John says, “There are no hard feelings when it comes to music; art always comes first. We respect everyone’s inputs.”

Tickets at ₹499, August 31, 9 pm. At Hard Rock Café, Hitec City.

(Written by Anshula Dhulekar)